Pre-paid wireless interactive voice response system with variable announcements

Abstract

A wireless communications system providing interactive voice response is disclosed. The system is menu-driven, and can accept information and requests from customers. In response to one type of request, the system can provide the customer with information regarding one or more previous transactions. The system also includes provisions that permit customers to retrieve multiple previous transactions.

1. An interactive voice response system for pre-paid wireless services comprising:
 a peripheral device in communication with a mobile switching system, the mobile switching system capable of communicating with at least one wireless device; and 
 an interactive voice response (IVR) application on the peripheral device comprising a menu driven system adapted to receive information from a customer, the menu driven system to interact with the customer to receive a request from the customer to select variable aspects of announcements made to the customer, 
 wherein the request from the customer is to select a prompt level provided by the system to the customer, the prompt level determining frequency of messages provided by the system to the customer, wherein the request from the customer is to select a prompt level provided by the system to the customer, the prompt level determining frequency of messages provided by the system to the customer. 
 
     
     
       2. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 1 , wherein the selection of the prompt level is for the customer to receive one of maximum prompts and minimum prompts. 
     
     
       3. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 2 , wherein selection of the maximum prompts provides for announcements every time the customer makes a call. 
     
     
       4. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 2  wherein selection of the minimum prompts provides fewer announcements than selection of maximum prompts and provides announcements whenever an account balance falls below a predetermined level. 
     
     
       5. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device includes at least one of an Intelligent Peripheral (IP) and a Service Control Point (SCP). 
     
     
       6. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 5 , wherein the menu driven system resides on the SCP and communicates with at least one of the mobile switching system using Intelligent Network (IN) Transactional Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) messaging and an Intelligent Peripheral using TCP/IP. 
     
     
       7. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 5 , wherein the menu driven system resides on the SCP and communicates with at least one of the mobile switching system using IN TCAP messaging and an Intelligent Peripheral using IN TCAP messaging over CSS 7  Network, and wherein the Intelligent Peripheral plays voice messages and communicates with the mobile switching system through a voice path. 
     
     
       8. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 1 , wherein the menu driven system interacts with the customer to receive as part of the request from the customer, a selection in how announcements arc delivered to the customer. 
     
     
       9. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 8  wherein the selection is for one of announcements delivered as voice messages and announcements delivered as text messages. 
     
     
       10. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 8  wherein the menu driven system interacts with the customer to receive as part of the request from the customer a selection of announcements to be delivered as text messages. 
     
     
       11. The interactive voice response system according to  claim 8  wherein the menu driven system interacts with the customer to receive as part of the request a selection of one of pre and post call announcements. 
     
     
       12. A method of operating an interactive voice response system for pre-paid wireless services comprising:
 interacting with a pre-paid wireless customer using an interactive voice response (IVR) application having a menu driven system receiving information from a customer; 
 receiving a request from the customer using the menu driven system to select aspects of announcements made to the customer; and 
 responsive to the request from the customer, varying a prompt level provided by the system to the customer, the prompt level selecting frequency of messages provided by the system to the customer, and responsive to the request from the customer, varying a prompt level provided by the system to the customer, the prompt level selecting frequency of messages provided by the system to the customer. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving the request from the customer to receive one of maximum prompts and minimum prompts; 
 responsive to the request for maximum prompts providing announcements every time the customer makes a call; and 
 responsive to the request for minimum prompts providing announcements whenever account balance falls below a predetermined level. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising receiving as part of the request from the customer a selection of one of delivering announcements to the customer as voice messages and delivering announcements to the customer as text messages. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 12  further comprising receiving as part of the request a selection of one of pre and post call announcements.